


Reprise

by steady_star (tacitgrey)



Category: ARGONAVIS from BanG Dream! AAside (Video Game)
Genre: (thanks Shu), Fanart, Post-Canon, Reconciliation, Set 11 years after the present day of canon, Swearing, Tension, illustrated scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26055802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tacitgrey/pseuds/steady_star
Summary: Ujigawa Shu, 23 year-old heir and CEO of Duck River recording company, hasn't seen the members of εpsilonΦ since they disbanded seven years ago. By some twist of fate, however, Shu runs into a familiar face on the streets of Shimogyo, Kyoto.Part of the"εpsilonΦ, 11 years later"multimedia story project hosted on my Twitter.
Relationships: Ujigawa Shu & Karasuma Reiji
Comments: 12
Kudos: 99





	Reprise

**Author's Note:**

> This oneshot is a direct follow-up to my [2-page comic](https://twitter.com/steady_star/status/1296935934756347905). Please read the comic first!

He's _there_.

On a busy street in Shimogyo, everyone seems to stop existing except for him.

Not three meters away, it's the companion he was given in his youth, the only person he could call a friend for the years he knew him, his right-hand man through their band days.

"Reiji," Shu says, breathless.

"...Shu," Reiji greets in return. His tone is layered.

"You know this guy, Boss?" Shu's subordinate says from beside him. Shu sees Reiji visibly flinch. He tastes acid on his tongue. _Kanata used to call me 'Boss'_.

"Satoshi, I'll catch you back at the office," Shu tells him, not taking his eyes off of Reiji, as if he might disappear at any moment.

"...Alright, see you there," Satoshi says amiably, and he walks off. _Thank god_.

Shu stays where he stands, frozen to the spot. "S'been a while," he says to Reiji.

Reiji finally turns to fully face Shu and puts his hands in his coat pockets. "Indeed, it has."

He feels small under Reiji's stare. Shu is not a particularly tall person, but it's never made him feel lacking in power until now.

He shifts uneasily on his feet, watching Reiji's body language carefully. He's searching for cues to work off of, but all he can see is how the years have changed Reiji. _For the better_. He seems so relaxed. Content. It's leagues away from the constant frown and furrowed brow he knew from back in the day.

"You look... happy," Shu says aloud, without thinking.

Reiji's expression remains on the positive side of neutral as he looks over Shu in return. "...Your taste in clothes hasn't changed."

"Oi, the hell's that s'pposed to mean?" Shu scoffs, surprised. "First time seein' each other in, what, seven, eight years? An' yer gonna insult my outfit?"

Reiji laughs then, bright and sincere, and Shu almost doesn't believe he hears it.

"It's good to see you again, Shu," Reiji says formally, but his smile says he means it as he steps forward to hold out his hand.

Shu takes it and gives it a firm shake, the tension melting off his shoulders. "Likewise, Reiji." He releases his hand and makes a threatening pointing gesture. "But talk about my stylin' suit like that again an' we're gonna have some problems, ya hear?"

Reiji chuckles. It still sounds like a dream. "I didn't say it looks bad. It's just very... _you_."

Shu crosses his arms, enjoying the banter. "You'd know that best, ol' friend." He pauses, feeling uncharacteristically shy. "Say, wanna grab a coffee or somethin'? Catch up on the years?"

Shu doesn't miss it when Reiji hesitates for a fraction of a second. But ultimately, he offers a gentle smile and a nod. "Sure, I'd like that."

* * *

"So," Shu leans on the table, resting his chin on his hands, "Ya still play the drums?"

Reiji hums as he takes a sip of his coffee. "No. Not really."

"Oh." Shu can't hide his disappointment.

"I tried keeping up with it, for a little while," Reiji says, setting down his drink. "But I wanted a fresh start after leaving."

 _After leaving you_ , he leaves unsaid. Before Shu can inquire further, Reiji asks in return, "Do you still sing?"

"Oh, yeah, I still like singin', sometimes," Shu mumbles into his hand. "I still write songs, too. I just don' have the time to properly produce anythin' anymore. Real frustratin'."

"That's unfortunate," Reiji says. It only sounds polite.

Shu frowns. He can feel this conversation is going to dead-end pretty soon, at this rate. Especially if they both keep avoiding the topic that's clearly weighing on them both.

"So where d'ya work now? Still in Kyoto, right?" Shu asks him, trying for a different angle.

"Yes, I work at an accounting office up in Kamigyo."

"Kamigyo, that's close! How come I didn' run into ya sooner?"

"Luck, I suppose." Reiji doesn't specify whether it's good luck or bad luck.

"Accountin', though," Shu muses aloud. "Never thought my ol' Reiji would end up in sucha plain job."

"It suits me," Reiji shrugs. "I like keeping track of things. Organizing."

"And that's why I miss ya!" Shu whines. "Ya woulda been the _best_ executive assistant at Duck River."

Reiji's expression becomes strained. "How has the company been doing since you took over?"

Shu gets the impression that Reiji doesn't actually want to pursue this subject, but he entertains the question anyway. "S'been pretty good. We've got a lotta great artists workin' with us. None of 'em are as good as we were back in the day, though."

"And you?"

Shu blinks. "An' me?"

"How are you doing as CEO?" Reiji clarifies. He seems genuinely curious.

Shu leans back, crossing his arms. "Well enough, I s'ppose," he says, conveniently omitting any mention of his overdue projects. "It's interestin' bein' in charge, but a buncha my father's ol' advisors nag me all the time. Makes it hard t'have any fun."

"'Fun'," Reiji scoffs lightheartedly. "You haven't changed at all."

Shu smirks. "What's the point a' livin' if y'ain't havin' fun, s'what I always say. Yer turn now, tell me what's interestin' in yer little Kamigyo office."

Reiji hums thoughtfully. "There isn't much. I was promoted to an administrative position last year, I suppose."

Shu leans his chin on his hands again. "Congrats, but boring. No office drama or anythin'?"

"Well," Reiji visibly pauses to consider whether or not to disclose his next thought. Shu gestures invitingly, _go on, I won't judge_.

Reiji fidgets with the cuff of his sleeve, an old habit. "A few years ago, one of my coworkers who I frequently interacted with was... let go. She was living alone at the time and had no backup plan for losing her income, so I allowed her to stay at my apartment while she searched for a new job." Reiji pauses again, as if embarrassed. "She ended up moving in with me permanently, as a roommate of sorts."

Shu raises his eyebrows. "Now that's juicy! Y'all got somethin' goin' on?"

"No, no," Reiji says, trying to effect a serious tone. "She's a very close friend of mine. We've helped each other through a great deal."

"Oh, so there's a _we_ ," Shu teases.

Reiji makes a suffering face and Shu laughs at his expense. "Aight, aight, I'm done tuggin' ya. I'm glad ya got sucha good friend."

"Coming from you, that's something," Reiji says, recovering.

"Ehh, what's that s'pposed to mean?" Shu pouts. "You implyin' I don' have good friends?"

Reiji puts on a perfectly neutral expression, as if to say, _I don't know, do you?_

"Well, I _had_ good friends," Shu mutters. "'Til y'all left."

Reiji frowns, the amusement in the air vanishing.

Shu fiddles with the napkin under his drink. That was a stupid move. Perhaps he ought to just get to the point— they'd been avoiding it for long enough.

He sighs, and folds his hands on the table. "Why'd ya leave, Reiji?"

Reiji closes his eyes, and that oh-so-familiar crease between his brows appears. "You know why I left."

"I know why ya left the Ujigawas. Why'd ya leave _me_? Nearly eight years, and ya never even thought to say 'hi'?"

"No," Reiji says, and he looks like he wants to take it back as soon as the word leaves his mouth.

"Hated me that much, huh." He stares down at his coffee, knowing it's probably cooled by now.

Reiji doesn't reply for a very long moment. Shu glances at him and sees another look he knows well— the one where Reiji is trying to keep his composure. There's a twist in Shu's gut at the fact that he's inflicted this so soon after meeting again.

Reiji crosses his arms and rests his elbows on the table. He takes a deep breath.

"For the longest time," Reiji begins, "I didn't want to see you again. I needed the time and the space to form my own path, and find my own identity separate from the Ujigawa Conglomerate, my adoptive family, and my birth family. I believe I have succeeded in that respect.

"However, I cannot say that the decision not to contact you wasn't personal. It was... very, very personal. You must understand the effect that my life with you had on me. The effect it would have had if I'd stayed in contact with you."

Shu bites his lip, not looking up from his coffee. "I was so lonely without ya, Reiji."

He knows he sounds selfish. Pathetic, even. But he needs Reiji to hear it.

"I knew you would be," Reiji says. Shu searches for regret in his tone and doesn't find it. "But," Reiji continues with conviction, "I won't ever apologize for leaving."

Shu furrows his brow. He still won't meet his eyes. "But ya didn't even leave a note. Ya just up n' disappeared."

That day— one of the worst of his life, he decided long ago— 16 year-old Shu awoke and learned that Reiji was nowhere to be found. Hardly anything was missing from the house, as if Reiji had just walked out into the night with nothing but the clothes on his back. The Karasumas and the Fushimis searched for weeks and only learned that he was alive somewhere in Japan from a third-hand source. Ultimately, the families decided that this act of abandonment was enough cause to disown him, and the search was called off.

But Shu never stopped wanting him to return.

Across from him, Reiji huffs out a breath like an attempt at a laugh. "Perhaps I could have been more proper about it. I wasn't in the best state of mind at the time, though there were certainly worse options. But, given the chance to repeat that day, I believe I would choose to do it all the same way. I am confident that the decision I made was the correct one."

Shu finally gathers the nerve to look up at him. Reiji's face is as contented as it could be. He's so sure of himself. He's so _free_. Shu's known this, known what his family— what _he_ — had done to Reiji, but it hits him all the same how much happier Reiji is having left him behind.

"I'm really sorry, Rei," Shu says, and means it. "For everythin'."

Reiji smiles. In _relief_. "Thank you for saying that."

Shu lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. It feels like the weight he'd been bearing all this time has finally lessened, at least a little bit.

"Eight years," Shu says aloud.

"Eight years," Reiji agrees.

There's a moment of companionable silence between them. It was like the old days— they'd often had these lulls, just the two of them, having nothing to say and nothing to do, and that was fine.

_The old days..._

"Man... how d'ya think the others are doin'?" Shu wonders.

"You haven't had contact with them?" Reiji asks, appearing surprised.

"Nah, once we disbanded and you left we drifted apart pretty quick," Shu says, frowning slightly. "Tadaomi moved across the country fer a job, Kanata went abroad fer college, an' Haruka may as well've vanished like you did— I never heard from 'im after..." Shu swallows, and manages to continue. "After our last meetin' as a band. A year or so on, I lost track of 'em all."

Reiji hums in acknowledgment, leaning back in his chair. "I hope they're all well."

"Yeah," Shu agrees, taking a sip of his drink. He almost chokes. "Aw fuck, it's cold. Oh, god. This is nasty as shit."

Reiji stifles a giggle under his hand at Shu's plight. Shu smiles bitterly as he sets his coffee aside. "I've heard ya laugh more times today than I have in all the years I knew ya, Rei."

"I can only wonder why," Reiji says with a grin.

"Oi, now yer crackin' jokes at my expense, too? Ya really are a whole new man."

Reiji only continues grinning that handsome grin of his, further proving Shu's point.

"Alright, now it's weird," Shu pretends to grimace. "Imagine we find the twins an' they're like, actually gettin' along."

"Unlikely," Reiji agrees. He pauses, and backtracks. " _We_ find them?"

Shu tucks some of his hair behind his ear, perhaps a bit bashfully. "Yeah, maybe that'd be nice? Find the others fer a lil' Epsi reunion?"

Reiji remains silent for a moment, appearing to be considering a great deal of things in his head. It's a familiar expression.

"Doesn't hafta be right away, if yer busy," Shu cuts in. "An' I figure I'll be doin' most of the lookin' anyway, since I've got the right sorta people to call on."

"Ah, right," Reiji says, as though he'd forgotten for a minute that he no longer serves Shu. His face settles on a pleased look. "Yes, I think I would like to see our old bandmates. I've already gotten the most difficult one out of the way, after all."

Shu huffs in mock insult. "I _get_ it, Rei."

Reiji looks like he's about to ask a question when Shu's watch beeps at the turn of the hour.

"Ah, shit, I'm overdue," Shu scrambles to his feet. "I gotta head back to the office."

Reiji stands as well, neatly pushing in his chair. "Will we meet again?"

It's a simple inquiry, but it makes Shu's heart skip a beat. "Yeah. That'd be great."

"I look forward to it," Reiji says with a gentle smile, holding out his hand for the second time that day.

Shu looks at it, considers his options, and goes for it. He takes two steps forward and wraps his arms around Reiji, tucking his head into his shoulder.

"I missed ya, Rei. I'm glad to have ya back," Shu mumbles into his soft coat.

Reiji, after a heavy moment of hesitation, returns the gesture and puts one arm around Shu. He doesn't say anything, but he doesn't need to.

Shu releases him and steps back, sniffing discreetly. "I'll see which a' those roaches I can track down before we meet up again."

"I hope it won't be too much trouble," Reiji says politely, but sincerely.

"Nah, not a match in the world fer my information network," Shu grins proudly. "Betchya I'll round up all three by next week."

Reiji puts his hands in his coat pockets and smiles. "I'm looking forward to it, Shu."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like we'll be seeing what the other members of εpsilonΦ have been up to since Shu and Reiji last saw them. :)
> 
> Follow me on my Twitter, [steady_star](https://twitter.com/steady_star), to stay up to date on this series!


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